By Aiyeku Timothy
Alhaji Lai Mohammed has been the Public Relations strategist for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the current administration for a long time, but for being a poor one, he has always stood alone in his opinions and defence.
Against the popular saying, it is a known fact in Public Relations that the best way of defence is never to attack, but rather present the true situation the way they are and admit to mistakes made but prove that it can be better next time.
#EndSars protesters were allegedly killed by security personnel on October 20 at the Lekki Toll Gate but there have been contradictory reported accounts of the incidents as the government denied killing any of the Nigerian youths that night.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Wednesday, said about 102 people, including policemen lost their lives in the October protest while 196 people were injured in the violence that rocked the country.
While the evidence provided by the live recording on that day was watered down with the government claiming the video was a “photoshop video”, the CNN released an investigative report, confirming the use of live ammunition by soldiers.
CNN had on Tuesday released a second ‘investigative report’ on the shootings at Lekki toll plaza during the #EndSARS protests amid threats of sanction from the Federal Government.
Following the release of the first investigation, Lai Mohammed held a briefing with reporters in Abuja and described CNN’s report on the Lekki Toll Gate Shooting as “irresponsible journalism”. He even went further to call for the sanction of the global media outfit.
After the release of the second evidence, Lai, while speaking on NTA on Wednesday morning, said CNN was desperate and peddling fake news.
He said “It shows that they are desperate. The so-called recent development has been seen before. There is nothing new. If there is anything new, it is a contradiction of CNN’s position. What we are asking CNN is that where is your evidence? The military has been consistent. CNN contravenes the basic principles of journalism – fairness, and balance.
“They did the story without contacting the federal government for its own side. They relied on second and third parties narratives.
“They (CNN) were caught spreading fake news and they are trying to escape. We are accusing them of basing their stories on videos sourced on social media. CNN has been inconsistent. It also doctored the video it got. We are confident in our position.”
However, DJ Switch who used her Instagram account to do a live recording of all that transpired at the Lekki Toll Gate has also blasted the Minister for not saying the truth.
On her Twitter handle, @dj_switchaholic, she said, “How can a ‘minister of information’ be so misinformed’? The only believable thing about him is his name…Lai. Unfortunately Sir, the truth is very stubborn…”
It is important to say this in reaction to Lai Mohammed’s continued outburst against CNN. For obvious reasons and history of the Minister, he has been committing Public Relations somersaults in an attempt to do the job he is paid for.
In Public Relations, attack is never a best form of defence, especially for a government that is known for outright abuse of human rights. Lai Mohammed discrediting CNN’s report without providing any shred of evidence is really a great disservice of this nation.
It would have been fair for the Minister, paid by the public, to applaud and commend the CNN for its deployment of the highest quality of technology to ascertain what exactly took place on October 20th at Lekki tollgate Lagos State, than engage in warfare against the public and its own people.
The Nigerian Army at first, denied deploying soldiers to the scene, later, they were on another lane by accepting they were at the Lekki toll gate but only fired blank ammunition. Should the inconsistent reports by believed?
Could the verbal attack against the CNN by Lai Mohammed mean fear by the guilt? Should we believe that the move is evidence that the government knew what happened to the protesters on October 20th and is making efforts to hide it?
Unfortunately, CNN is not any of the local stations that would have been intimidated or have their reports discredited. We do expect more unfolding developments from the killings, especially after the UK lawmakers deliberated on the petition to have Nigerian government officials sanctioned.
